NEW POWER SUPPLY TRANSFORMER 7B, 14B, and 28B SST-2
The new SST22 transformers are designed specifically to have very high energy storage. It is a considerably more expensive way to design a transformer, and thus is almost never done, but it has clear advantages.
A 'normal' linear amplifier power-supply is made up of a transformer, a bridge rectifier and a set of filter capacitors. The filter capacitors smooth the DC in the rectified waveform, and also store energy to supply large transient current demands from the speakers. The filter capacitors in turn are recharged by the transformer on each half-cycle. However, that recharging takes place on the very peaks of the 60Hz waveform, over only a few degrees of conduction. Thus, although the average current from the power cord is only a few Amperes, it is actually a series of very narrow, very high peaks of current, as much as 50 or more Amperes per half-cycle.
Those high, narrow peaks of current have a consequence. They equate to drops in Voltage from the power cord, from the wall socket, from the wiring leading to the house. The audible consequence in turn impacts on focus, dynamics, depth of image, 'holography, etc.
A transformer designed for energy storage first and foremost, solves those issues. It recharges the filter capacitors directly from its own energy storage capacity, and then takes up the energy from the wall socket over the entire 60Hz waveform. Gone are the narrow peaks of 50+Amp current, gone are the Voltage drops, gone are the negative consequences for ultimate focus, dynamics, depth of image, etc. (Please understand these are subtle audible effects, though a trained listener can hear them, particularly in comparison listening).
